Back to the Basics: How World-Class CISOs Lock Down External Servers

In this solo episode of Life of a CISO, Dr. Eric Cole returns to the mic after a series of interviews to dive deep into the #1 foundational skill every Chief Information Security Officer must master—securing internet-facing servers.

With the rising wave of breaches hitting not just Fortune 50 giants but small and mid-size companies, Dr. Cole walks through the exact steps you must take to go back to basics and become a world-class CISO. From identifying forgotten assets to hardening authentication and revamping your patching strategy, this episode is your blueprint to stop attacks before they start. Dr. Cole also shares real-world breach examples, discusses the risks of relying solely on IT, and explains why a functioning change control board and MFA implementation for admins are non-negotiable.

📩 To book a Cyber Health Check or connect with Dr. Cole directly: ecole@secure-anchor.com

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Let’s connect: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drericcole/
Business Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secureanchor/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericcole1/
Twitter : https://twitter.com/drericcole

Show Notes:
01:00 – Intro: Buckle Up – It’s Time to Get Back to Basics
02:30 – Server-Based Attacks Still Work—Because We Let Them
04:00 – The Big 3 Flaws: Open Ports, Missing Patches, Critical Data
05:15 – Your 2025 Milestone: Asset Inventory + Config Management
07:00 – Common External Entry Points: Web, VPN, Firewalls
08:45 – Think Like a Hacker: Use AI Tools to Find Your Own Exposures
10:45 – Why 90% Visibility is a Fail in Cybersecurity
12:00 – Create a Change Control Board That Actually Works
14:00 – “That’s IT’s Job!” vs. “You’re the One Who Gets Blamed”
16:30 – COVID, Remote Work & The Forgotten Security Curveball
17:10 – MFA, MFA, MFA—Starting With Admin Accounts
19:35 – How to Prioritize Your Cyber Budget (Hint: Follow the Risk)
21:55 – Largest Password Breach Ever: 40 Billion Stolen
23:00 – The #1 2025 Attack Vector: Authentication
24:30 – Bonus Control: IP-Based Verification & Geo-Blocking
26:00 – The Danger of Forgotten Servers
27:30 – Why Turning Off Unused Services is the Best Patch
29:00 – Real Breach Example: “We Decommissioned That Server… Didn’t We?”
30:10 – Wrap-Up: Next Episode Will Cover Client-Side Cyber Hygiene

About Dr. Eric Cole
Eric Cole, DPS., is an industry-recognized security expert with over 20 years of hands-on experience in consulting, training, and public speaking. As the founder and CEO of Secure Anchor Consulting, Dr. Cole focuses on helping customers prevent security breaches, detect network intrusions, and respond to advanced threats. In addition, he is a sought-after expert witness and a 2014 inductee to the Info Security Hall of Fame.

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